California Gov. Gavin Newsom to campaign for Biden in West Michigan Thursday

DETROIT — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is headed to Michigan Thursday to campaign for Democratic President Joe Biden amid speculation about the president's re-election chances after last week's lackluster debate performance.

Newsom is listed as a special guest at the Van Buren County Democratic Party's July 4th barbecue for a Biden-Harris event in South Haven, according to a Facebook page advertising the event.

The Biden campaign touted Newsom's stop in West Michigan in a Wednesday statement indicating campaign officials were "excited" for his stop there.

"As president, Joe Biden has always looked out for Michigan, creating good-paying jobs, lowering costs and fighting for our freedoms, and we’re looking forward to mobilizing voters across West Michigan to send him back to the White House," said Ed Duggan, state director for the Biden-Harris campaign.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer meanwhile is expected in Washington D.C. Wednesday to participate in a meeting with Democratic governors and Biden at the White House, an event that is expected to focus on shoring up support for the president post-debate.

Newsom and Whitmer are among several names floated to replace Biden should he withdraw from the presidential race. Their names have largely been featured as possible replacements alongside Vice President Kamala Harris.

Some political pundits and at least one Democratic congressman, Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas, have called on Biden to leave the presidential race after the president was soft spoken, rambling and, at times, incoherent during last Thursday's debate.

Both Newsom and Whitmer have made public statements of support for Biden in the midst of the debate fallout, with Whitmer reiterating Monday that she "100%" believes Biden can carry Michigan in November. Whitmer is Biden's campaign co-chair.

"Not only do I believe Joe can win Michigan, I know he can because he’s got the receipts: he’s lowered health care costs, brought back manufacturing jobs and is committed to restoring the reproductive freedom women lost under Donald Trump," Whitmer said in a Monday statement.

Newsom campaigned as a surrogate for the Biden campaign in Nevada and South Carolina earlier this year. He has plans to stump in Pennsylvania Saturday and in New Hampshire Monday, according to a social media post by Newsom's Deputy Communications Director Brandon Richards.

Newsom's stop in Van Buren County isn't the campaign's first foray in West Michigan. In February, Harris participated in a roundtable discussion on abortion with Whitmer and, in April, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker campaigned on behalf of Biden in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Holland.

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